2 comments about Classic Muscle Car Advertising: The Art of Selling Horsepower.

1. I have Mitch Frumkin's first two books, and I must admit this one is better, picture wise. His first two contained just b&w photos and not much text. This book is wall to wall color, which really brings the ads to life; some ads are even reproduced in their original size. Very cool - A+ on that account. However, this book contains much more text, which should have been a nice compliment to the ads, but unfortunately, there are a number of errors. Yes, I realize that one person cannot possibly know every little detail, and we are constantly finding out new facts about muscle cars, but if you have the ads in front of you, and hopefully the magazines they came out of, you should know the correct years of the cars and the dates the ads ran. In other words, model year 1971 cars were not advertised in late 1969.
   
   Also, I feel a number of historic ads were left out in this publication that should have been included. For example, there were several ads that were pulled by the manufacturers almost immediately after they ran, because they were considered too contraversial. None of these are here. Maybe Mitch wanted to offer the public some fresh material. The problem here is, his first two books are out of print. Quality used copies are going for good money and are becoming hard to find.
   
   Aside from those two nick-picky points, overall, it is a cool book. Would make a great gift. Buy a really nice used copy, you won't be disappointed.



2. I was impressed by Muscle Car Mania and Son of Muscle Car Mania but Mitch came up trumps this time as we benefit from colour print - the best way to see the psycadelic Plymouth ads of the 60's. If you like muscle cars buy this book.

1 comments about Perspectives on American Book History: Artifacts and Commentary (Studies in Print Culture and the History of the Book series).

1. This is a book whose time has come! Never before has such an interesting set of essays on American print culture been collected in one place. It was a stroke of genius to supplement it with a CD-ROM. In this way the book in itself is a testament to the amazing journeys American print culture has taken!

   The editors have done a terrific job of ensuring readability and compatibility throughout the essays included here. At [money], it's not exactly a steal, but still worth every penny. Destined to become the benchmark against which all other books on the topic are measured.

No comments about Hit List for Young Adults 2: Frequently Challenged Books.

No comments about Beatrix Potter and Bunnykins: Price Guide.

2 comments about The Building.

1. Will Eisner left us some real gems. This is one of them. When I was a kid, cartoons were not welcome in our home. It just took a whole generation to understand that Eisner's work - and the works of his likes - is simply art. Graphic novel isn't just a gimmick, it's real literature.
   I just have one regret, about the quality of the paper. This book will simply turn into dust within a decade. So will we, probably.



2. Basically, 4 stories of people and the building that affected their lives. The first story shows how guilt-ridden Monroe Mensch is unable to become the good samaritan that he wants to be and pay his debt to society. The second story involves married Goldie who meets the poet she loves, but could not marry, every week in front of the building.

   Reccommended for comic book / graphic novel lovers and for Judaica libraries.

4 comments about Shelf Life: How Books Have Changed the Destinies and Desires of People and Nations.

1. Shelf Life is full of wonderful quotes about words and books, enlightening and inspirational stories for all booklovers, and encouragement to live your life as a reader. I thoroughly enjoyed this window into the minds of authors about the meaning and joy of reading.



2. I received this book as a birthday gift from a former coworker and long-time friend who like me has a vast love of reading books. The book could have benefited from a good editor that would hopefully cut out the all too frequent Christian rhetoric and caught problems such as the duplicate lenghty C.S. Lewis quote that appeared in two sections of the book.

   The book was at it's best when the authors were quoting secular authors from throughout history, which thankfully was a large part of the book, but not enough large enough to salvage it.

   The book was at it's worst when original writing and dogma by the authors appeared.




3. "I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library," wrote Jorge Luis Borges. This perfect quote for book lovers is a sampling of what's inside Shelf Life, a treatise about the impact books have on humanity. Throughout this small volume, the reader uncovers information about books as well as wonderful quotes concerning books, and book lists from a variety of sources. It is also a look at what kinds of reads appeal to a variety of thinkers. The quotes alone are enough to make an avid reader want to get his/her hands on these pages, the book lists are engrosing as well. I could ad some of my own favorites to this review, and so I shall: My Best Friends Live In Books ...from a poster promoting the children's writer, Rosemary Wells. You better be careful to make books like you!... ...taken from The Goops by Gelette Burgess. The only thing missing are some pretty pictures! Enjoy!



4. The culture of books and reading has had a great impact not only upon the lives of individuals, but on the course of nations. This celebration of books and reading gathers quotes and reflections by literary figures from all eras, considering these changes. Light but inviting reading.

1 comments about Treasures from Italy's Great Libraries.

1. There is only one word that can describe this book: fabulous. Its gargantuan format ensures that you can see every detail of the spectacular and beautiful illuminations, while the text supplies informative commentary on each illustration. Although it is expensive, the size and quality of the book make it worth the price. A most excellent book.

1 comments about Greetings from Virginia Beach.

1. Great book with wonderful postcard illustrations. Terrific book for a Virgina Beach postcard collector. I recommend!

4 comments about Reel Art: Great Posters From The Golden Age Of The Silver Screen.

1. ...This is a groundbreaking book, the first (and only one since!) that truly unearths the story of how movie posters were created, who drew them, why each studio had a certain 'look' to their posters and what impact they had on the popular culture. The text is wise, witty, thoroughly enjoyable while it imparts vast amounts of fresh and fascinating information. And as for the images, they are magnificently chosen and reproduced, each one of them accompanied by intriguing and smart observations on the films themselves, their making and their role in Hollywood history. This is an ambitious undertaking, yet it's an ideal book to get lost in during a lazy weekend. Hard to put down, beautifully done and crying out for a sequel. A classic!



2. Reel Art is like looking at a carpet sampling booklet. The paperback edition that is. Apart from a few none specific notes given a the front of the booklet the information on offer is very limited. Page after page of vintage posters with no text to accompany them makes this flick book an annoying "read". If all you require is visual this is an excellent choice. However, if you thought this book would actually tell you anything about the posters published, think again.

   Hope you find this helpful. JG




3. This is a must have book, even if you aren't "into movies". It is a sheer visual delight and a worthy addition to any library. Those with an interest in the graphic arts should definately acquire it. Arranged in a thoughtful manner, the glorious artwork is accompanied by intelligent text that is never dry and always informative.



4. This undisputed classic actually surpasses its reputation. The sumptuous, coffee table-style volume, over 340 pages, would be worth owning alone for its eye-popping reproduction of rare poster images that advertised such films as King Kong, It Happened One Night, Dracula, The Old Dark House, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Casablanca, Gilda, Gone With the Wind, It's a Wonderful Life, The Wizard of Oz and hundreds of others. Each chapter is beautifully organized into genres making the tome as compulsively entertaining as it is enlightening. Don't mistake this one for any of the other copycat poster books, though, which merely display page after page of images with no analysis or comment. What makes Reel Art a must-have, definitive book on the subject is its witty, hefty, impeccably informative text and extended captions which reveal so much about how the old-time Hollywood publicity and marketing machines worked to sell the moviegoing world not only on particular stars, directors, films, but also on the sexiness of things like cigarette smoking and the patriotic duty of going to war. Talk about "The Hidden Persuaders"! I especially appreciate the groundbreaking information Rebello and Allen reveal about the actual artists (some very famous, like Norman Rockwell, Al Hirschfeld and Miguel Covarrubias) and art directors who were responsible for the distinct visual style of posters from MGM, Paramount, Universal, Columbia, RKO and even the so-called "poverty row" studios. There's even a lengthy section of illustrators' biography, complete with actual poster credits -- something I have never seen anywhere before this. What research the book must have taken! Awesome and essential, as I guess is to be expected from author Rebello, who also did the first-rate Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of `Psycho.' Only quibble: this book cries for a follow-up, so when will the authors get around to the sequel?

No comments about Peasants, Warriors, and Wives: Popular Imagery in the Reformation.